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The program is open to all CU �鶹ӰԺ M.A. and PhD students, particularly those currently working as Graduate Part-Time Instructors (GPTIs) or Teaching Assistants (TAs) or preparing to teach in future semesters. The series is designed for graduate students from any academic discipline who want to integrate inclusive, equity-centered dialogue into their teaching.

Through in-person dialogic practice, activities, assignments, and other course learning materials (e.g., readings, videos, media, reflection, etc.), participants will learn about critical dialogic pedagogy, with attention to designing and facilitating dialogic practices that center intersectional equity in the classroom. By participating in the program, each participant will achieve the following Course Learning Objectives (CLOs):

1. Develop a conceptual understanding of the guiding principles and practices of critical dialogue pedagogy and the four-stage practice model of intergroup dialogue.
2. Develop a “toolbox” of critically-informed dialogic instructional practices to integrate in forthcoming syllabi, curriculum, and/or lesson design.
3. Create a learning portfolio to reflect conceptual understanding and classroom application of critical dialogic pedagogy tools and practices��to implement in future teaching.
4. Engage in critical self-reflection regarding their own identities to understand how power and dominant narratives operate in the classroom, revealing how they can challenge these social hierarchies to cultivate equitable learning in instructional spaces.
5. Engage in critical self-reflection of their own commitment to intersectional equitable pedagogy and (re)commit to implementing anti-racism practices in the classroom through the development of curricular tools.
6. Practice radical listening as a way to understand different lived experiences and how they impact the classroom, resulting in the development of different ways to make connections with others and enhance a sense of belonging in instructional spaces.
7. Collaborate with and support colleagues from academic departments across campus in order to build community and a sense of belonging on campus.

Participants will develop foundational knowledge of critical dialogic pedagogy and create a learning portfolio to receive a micro-credential digital badge. Each participant is expected to commit to the following program requirements:

• Attend all 10 workshop sessions (90 minutes each; in-person format)
• Participate in a Dialogues Mixer during the Spring semester to practice facilitation skills
• Meet the required time commitment of approximately 40 hours, as follows:
  • 10 workshop sessions (1.5 hours each = 15 hours total)
  • 1 hour of preparation for each session (10 hours total)
  • Learning portfolio completion (15 hours total spread over course of academic year)
• Create a learning portfolio, which includes 5 “artifacts” to support future curriculum design
• Upload the learning portfolio to CU Scholar to receive digital badge

One of the core principles behind this offering is a recognition that dialogue is not always experienced as inclusive and equitable practice. Bringing people together for an “open” exchange of ideas, perspectives, viewpoints and stories can reinforce existing social hierarchies and end up re-silencing people from historically marginalized backgrounds. Recognizing this potential for dialogue to silence (and thus not advance a sense of belonging) should not prevent us from holding dialogue but rather deepen our commitment to designing and facilitating dialogue with an informed understanding of, and commitment to, equity and inclusion.

Dialogue alone doesn’t guarantee inclusion. While often framed as a tool for open exchange, dialogue can inadvertently reinforce social hierarchies—especially when issues of power and identity go unaddressed. The micro-credential is designed to equip instructors with the tools to make dialogue more equitable, inclusive, and transformative.

The��Three Core Needs the program responds to are:��

1. Undergraduate Access to Equity-Centered Education through Critical Dialogue��
   Students benefit most from dialogue that thoughtfully engages with power, privilege, and identity—not just generic “open discussion”—which helps develop critical thinking skills and a deeper understanding of course content. To foster respectful, critical dialogue that avoids reinforcing existing hierarchies, instructors must intentionally design and facilitate conversations that recognize differences, address power dynamics, and make space for all voices to be heard and valued—an equity centered approach to teaching. Facilitating this kind of dialogue is a practice that takes time, reflection, and ongoing growth—it’s both a skill to develop and an art to refine. The micro-credential program provides graduate student instructors with structured training to explore, design, and practice facilitating critical dialogue in their current or future classrooms in order to cultivate a classroom environment that centers (all or historically marginalized) students' voices and fosters student empowerment (through critical attunement to power/personal voice).

2. Structured Training in Critical Dialogue at a Predominantly White Institution (PWI)
   While interest in learning to facilitate dialogue in the classroom is high, integrating it into a course is not a simple or standardized process. Dialogue isn’t something that can just be “plugged in”—it must be intentionally designed and adapted to the specific course content, classroom dynamics, and identities of participants. This is especially true at a predominantly white institution (PWI), where meaningful dialogue requires attention to the ways that power and social positioning shape who feels safe to speak and who remains silent. When dialogue is framed as merely “hearing all voices” without considering difference and power, it can unintentionally reproduce the very hierarchies it seeks to challenge. For dialogue to foster connection, openness, and belonging, instructors need support to thoughtfully plan, structure, and facilitate dialogic practices into the classroom. The micro-credential program offers that support—combining pedagogical training with opportunities for reflection, experimentation, and community-building among peers.

3. Building Community and Belonging for Graduate Students
   The recent campus culture survey indicated that only 47% of graduate student respondents agreed with the statement “I have a sense of community at CU,” and that number decreases dramatically for BIPOC students (42% agree), LGBTQ students (37% agree), self reported disabled students (36% agree) and gender diverse students (32% agree). As an opportunity for sustained dialogue with a small cohort of graduate students, the micro-credential program provides a space for building community amongst graduate students. We intend to specifically welcome graduate students from historically marginalized backgrounds into this training program.

Micro-credentials are official recognitions, issued by the Registrar’s Office, that document successful completion of professional development or training that goes above and beyond core program area content. Upon completing a micro-credential program, participants receive a��digital badge—a public-facing certification that outlines the training’s focus, key learnings, completed work, and participant-created artifacts such as revised syllabi, lesson plans, or teaching statements. These digital badges appear on official transcripts and can be shared on resumes, CVs, and professional platforms, making them visible to potential employers, collaborators, and research partners.��Learn More about Micro-credentials.